No Time To Clean? Too Bad. So Get Moving

It wouldn't do for holiday houseguests to walk past boogie boards stacked in the hallway since July, but what if you haven't the time or inclination to do deep cleaning?

In short: Make the time and find the motivation. Think of your home as an archaeological dig. The treasure's down deep. If you've let things get woefully out of hand, it's time to do some digging.

"In my 'real world of clean,' the concept of minimal cleaning and sprucing up can only apply when a home is generally maintained at a basic level of clean," says Cynthia Inman of askcindyhow.com. "Basically, one can never spruce or tidy deep-seated dirty."

But for quick-cleans when the houseguests are on their way, Inman suggests housekeepers start by getting organized. Put things in their proper places, and as you move through the house, carry a kitchen-sized trash bag for the items that need to go live somewhere else.

Next, move into the rooms that are easier to clean, the "softer rooms," says Inman. Mostly, that's the living room or dining room. Do light dusting, remove smudges from glass, fluff cushions, and vacuum.

In the kitchen, use a mild detergent to wipe down all surfaces, and then use a stainless steel polish for stainless steel surfaces.

To the bathrooms: "OK, here you want to remove all soiled items to the laundry," says Inman. "There are four major areas to hit here: bathtub, shower stall, wash bowl and toilet." She suggests combining activities - cleaning and exercising - by cleaning on your hands and knees. "Washing your floors on hand and knee will reveal the 'aha' moment for any room - the exercise component," she says.

For those out-of-the-way places, simply lock the door. Guests - unless they are spending the night - don't need to see the bedrooms, and basements and attics are for only the most intimate of friends.